The Systematic Treatment of Nerve Prostration and Hysteria

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1883. Excerpt: ... APPENDICES. APPENDIX A. MASSAGE. The patient lying in a blanket, I begin at the feet by taking up the skin over the whole surface and firmly pinching it, twisting the toes in all directions, kneading the small muscles with the ends of my fingers and thumb, the large muscles of the leg with both hands grasping alternately, frequently running the hand firmly up the leg and striking the muscles very often with the side of the hand. Before commencing the kneading of any of the limbs I rub them freely with neat's-foot oil, and I find the more oil a patient's skin absorbs the sooner does she begin to make flesh. The hands and arms are manipulated in the same way, working upwards. The patient, lying flat upon her back with the knees up, the abdomen is first pinched all over, and then the abdominal walls are firmly grasped in both hands, one hand grasping as the other relaxes. This part of the body is finished by the hands being placed one on each side, just below the ribs, and r firmly drawing the flesh forward, especially in the direction of the colon. Great attention should be paid to this part of the body if the patient is troubled with indigestion. The patient now lies quite flat upon her face. I commence at the nape of the neck and pinch up the muscles on either side of the vertebrae and the whole of the back. Then I place the first two fingers of my right hand, one on each side of the spine, and make a sweep downwards the length of the spine; this I do several times quickly. By working at tender spots longer, and gently, I find the tenderness soon disappears. The patient must be taught to relax all the muscles of the body and to lie perfectly passive, otherwise she will be much bruised, and the massage, instead of being a pleasure, will be a source of pain...